Secondary Common Core Institute
“Research to Build and Present Knowledge” 11-12 Grade Span
“Establishing the Need�
Living and Learning in the 21st Century
“Establishing the Need” • Seventy percent of students in grades 4–12 are low-achieving writers (Persky, 2003). • College instructors estimate that 50% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level writing (Achieve, 2005).
“Establishing the Need” • Thirty-five percent of HS graduates in college and 38% of HS graduates in the workforce feel their writing does not meet expectations. (Achieve, 2005). • About half of private employers and more than 60% of state government employers say writing skills impact promotion decisions (National Commission on Writing, 2005).
“Establishing the Need” • “Poorly written applications are likely to doom candidates’ chances for employment” (National Commission on Writing, 2005). • Writing remediation costs American businesses as much as $3.1 billion annually • (National Commission on Writing, 2004).
Quick Writes – Before, During and After Reading by Linda Rief (100 Quick Writes: Fast and Effective Writing Excercises
“Quick Writes mean showing and reading to students a short piece of text from which they write all that the text brings to mind; they borrow a line from which they write, letting the line lead their thinking. This first draft writing lasts only 2-3 minutes.” “The simple rhythm of copying someone else’s words gets us into the rhythm of writing, and then you begin to feel your own words.” By William Forrester, Finding Forrester
Career and College Readiness “The kids who start school today will be retiring in the year 2065, and yet we know as little about what the world will look like then as we do five years from now. We can give them all the content we want, but in this age, it won’t make much difference if we don’t teach them how to learn first. And they do that not by spitting back at us what they “know.” They do it by being creative, by trying and failing, by succeeding and reflecting.” -Will Richardson
Think Pair Share The use of this strategy DELIBERATELY increases level of student engagement, higher order thinking, and classroom participation.
Why Quick Write? • Provide students with ideas and frames for their own writing so they are not working in a void • Teach students critical reading as they draft and reconsider their ideas and the clearest ways of communicating them • Introduce students to a variety of stylistic devices • Allow ALL students, even those who struggle with words and ideas, to enter into writing and thinking in an accessible, short, quick, nonthreatening way
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Standard 7 • Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Standard 8 • Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Standard 9 • Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. • Apply grades 11-12 Reading Standards to literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics • Apply grades 11-12 Reading Standards to literary nonfiction; including evaluation of US documents
Key to Success • Although the standards are identified in separate strands, they should not be taught, learned, and implemented in isolation but should be used and developed throughout reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge In order to increase student engagement, students must read, write, talk, move, draw, and SEARCH daily! – International Center for Leadership in Education Bill Daggett
Our State Perspective • 60% of North Carolina employers rated the basic literacy skills of high school graduates as fair or poor • Remedial training costs North Carolina employers $40 million dollars per year • 53% of the students who enroll in the UNC system have to take a remedial class • Study Group - Out of 120,815 students enrolled in 9th grade, only 75,058 remained enrolled four years later
Two Overarching Writing Requirements to be Career and College Ready • The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence • The ability to research—both short, focused projects (such as those commonly required in the workplace) and longer term in depth research -Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Reflect for a moment back to a page in your high school year book‌.. What happened to the students surrounding you on the page?
A Call For Change to Common Core • Between 1971 and 2004, The NAEP scores of seventeen year olds showed no academic growth or improvement.
21 Century Skills st
• Creativity and Innovation • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Communication • Collaboration
Sample Quick Write prompt based on the primary source, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” -Martin Luther King, Jr. Quick Write: Choose one of the following ways to prompt your writing. •Continue writing the dialogue at the end of the text as if you are the author of the primary source. •Borrow any line or word and write as quickly as you can all that the line brings to mind. •Free write whatever this excerpt means to you.
Writing From Sources Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Strategies to Immerse Students in Research to Build and Present Knowledge Quick Write Looping Making Connections to Text, Self, and the World RAFT Talk, Talk, Talk Final Word Blogging
Making Connections Self to World / World to Text / Text to Self Students will come full circle with new insight in formulating ideas backed with evidence from the text and historical perspectives learned.
Research to Make Connections to Text, Self, and the World • Ethics of Stem Cell Research / Frankenstein • Court Trials / The Scarlet Letter / The Crucible • Health Epidemics / All Quiet on the Western Front • Labor Laws / The Jungle • Legal Parental Responsibilities / Frankenstein • Politics and Racism of the 1920’s / Black Boy
Research Student Assignment Current event that relates to text • We will begin reading George Orwell’s classic, 1984, next week. One of the main characters in the novel is named Big Brother. The term, big brother, is a part of our culture and it will help us understand the novel as we begin reading if we understand what this phrase means and how it is used. • Search the internet for references to “Big Brother” using google.com or yahoo.com. • Try to find examples from different genres that seem to address the idea of “Big Brother” in the same or similar way.
Outcomes
The discussion that ensues from the web search is student generated and rich in content. It allows 1984’s many themes to emerge prior to reading the book. (oppression, invasion of privacy, totalitarianism)
Reflection • Choose 3 texts • Select a current event(s) that relates to each of the texts. • Example: Before introducing Raisin in the Sun, search the internet for references to Brown vs. Board of Topeka and recent school Supreme Court rulings. • Whole group shares out examples.
Adapted from the Writing Process, RAFT Tapping into Higher Order Thinking via “Writing to Learn� Role
Format
Audience
Topic
Choose one or Choose one possibly two format. roles. Most assignments will have one.
Choose one or more. If you choose more than one, designate a primary audience.
Choose several. Longer pieces will require more varied approaches. (increase level of thinking)
The student takes on a role and writes from this perspective.
Who is the piece being written for?
The writer will address the purpose using one or more of the following methods.
The final product is published in this format.
Adapted from the Writing Process, RAFT Tapping into Higher Order Thinking via “Writing to Learn� Role Advertiser Newscaster Tour Guide Panelist Reporter Product Designer Researcher Artist Biographer Political Candidate Historian Teacher Parent Detective Editor Expert Self
Format Magazine article Editorial Brochure Short story Play Journal Biography Newspaper Article Letter Manual Booklet Interview Textbook Report Autobiography
Audience Friend Parent Teacher Principal Public figures Supervisor General Public Student Population Investor Judge School Board Government
Topic Complaint Heartache Revenge Politics Economy Disabilities Change Patterns Power Chaos Racism Conflict Relationships
The Great Gatsby “Does History Repeat Itself?” You are Nick from The Great Gatsby. Nick said to Gatsby, “I wouldn’t ask too much of Daisy; you can’t repeat the past.” Gatsby replied “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” Who’s right? Research historical events from WWI that led to the carefree lifestyle of the early 1920’s.
The Great Gatsby “Does History Repeat Itself?” • The Great Depression originated in the U.S., and became worldwide news with the stock market crash of 1929. • Research the current state of our economy and make comparisons to the Great Depression using the Venn Diagram attached.
Using a Venn Diagram, list the similarities and differences to the causes of the declining economy during the 1920’s to today. Identify the similarities in the center of the diagram and differences in the outside circles.
Comparing and Contrasting
1929
Similarities
2011
The Great Gatsby “Does History Repeat Itself?� You are an editor for the New York Times in New York City and you have researched the Great Depression and our current state of the economy. Write an editorial for the public describing how history repeats itself.
Reflection • Choose 1 text from the eighteenth, nineteenth, or early twentieth century and create a R.A.F.T. that connects a topic or theme to present day. Include the role, audience, format, and topic for writing. • Example: The Color Purple, The Bluest Eye Advertisements, commercial, and magazines give a superficial definition of beauty to consumers. As the editor of a new magazine that will focus on inner beauty, as opposed to outer beauty, write a letter to send to prospective buyers that defines what beauty really means to you.
Talk, Talk, Talk Before and After Reading Questioning and Reflections The purpose of this activity is to envelop students in key themes and concepts evident throughout a story prior to reading. In small and whole group discussion, students will have an opportunity to activate prior knowledge and gain interest in the topic and text being introduced.
Talk, Talk, Talk Because the themes are broad and can be applied to the student's lives, students will begin to make connections with the reading and formulate meaning from history and its various applications in today's society and to their own lives. Students will then revisit their findings after reading and make connections with characters and information learned with their initial personal findings.
Example / Theme Based Question Before Reading Question Prompt Everyone needs someone to share life's experiences with. Do you agree or disagree and why? Who do you share your experiences with? Why is it important or unimportant for you to share with others? What can happen to someone when this need is not met? Describe a time you needed support from someone. How did he or she help or support you? How did he or she contribute to your success or failure with the experience?
Example / Theme Based Question After Reading Question Prompt
Everyone needs someone to share life's experiences with. Of Mice and Men Identify people George interacts with and how if fills his personal needs. Describe their relationship(s) with each other. How do his relationships affect his life?
Example / Theme Based Question Before Reading Question Prompt Human growth involves pain and can result from tragedy. Do you agree or disagree and why? How do tragedies affect large or small groups of people? Refer to recent events. Describe a situation when you have experienced hurt and learned from it. How does this statement relate to problems between parents and children?
Example / Theme Based Question After Reading Question Prompt Human growth involves pain and can result from tragedy. Black Boy o How did Richard Wright change in the midst of abuse, and oppression? o What affects did these changes have on his relationships and choices he made throughout his life? o What did he learn? o What did you learn as a result of his story?
Researching Themes • Varying Degrees of Evil / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde • Seeking Revenge / Hamlet, The Count of Monte Cristo, Frankenstein • The American Dream / The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men
Talk, Talk, Talk Action Steps k l a T s k l p a te T S Repeat process after reading , n k l ti o a Whole group sharing /groups respond T Ac Then, groups share and discuss findings Students individually write responses Give each group a theme/ essential question/ generalization Establish student groupings (2-4)
Essential Questions • have no simple “right” answer; they are meant to be argued. • are designed to provoke and sustain student inquiry, while focusing learning and final outcomes. • often address the conceptual or philosophical foundations of a concept. • raise other important questions. • stimulate vital, ongoing rethinking of big ideas, assumptions, and prior lessons.
Essential Question Before Reading Question Prompt • What conditions cause bad things to occur our community, and what responsibilities do we have in the midst of terrible things? After Reading Question Prompt • What conditions caused the Holocaust to occur, and what responsibilities do we have in the midst of terrible things?
Reflection Individually or with a partner, choose one text an 11th grade teacher will be will be using in your district this year. Then, create two to three ‘prompts or questions’ related to the text using the Talk, Talk, Talk discussion format. • • •
Theme Based Question Generalizations Essential Questions
Final Product What do we want students to know and be able to do?
Create “I Can� Statements that evaluate what you want students to know and be able to do to ensure students have mastered Standards 7-9, Research to Build and Present Knowledge.
Classroom Assessment Data Inventory of essential knowledge and skills for Standards 7-9
Student work samples
Teacher assesses and documents student performance over time and collects related work samples
Inventory, summary Inventory, summary Inventory, summary and Inventory, summary and Inventory, summary and Inventory, summary work samples and work samples Inventory, summary and work samples Inventory, summary and work samples Inventory, summary and work samples and work & samples work samples work samples work samples for each student A representative sample from each classroom is audited by teacher peers to ensure calibration of standards
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Application • Ask your department to choose a text they plan to use and incorporate one or more of the strategies to support mastery of Standards 7-9. • Conduct the lesson(s) (Consider videotaping!) • At the next ELA Department Meeting, ask teachers to bring a copy of the text, examples of student writing, and a personal reflection that states what went well, what could be improved, etc...
Secondary Common Core Institute
“Research to Build and Present Knowledge” 11-12 Grade Span